Does 52100 etch bright enough to mix with CruForge?

[Salem Straub]

I'm wanting to make some CruForgeV damascus, so I'm figuring out what other steel I want to use. I have some very large woodcutting bandsaw blade chunks I could cut up, but I wondered whether 52100, as a chromium alloy steel at 1.5% Cr, would etch fairly bright in contrast to CruForge.

Also, any thoughts on HTing such a mix? It would be easy enough for me to use the bandsaw stuff, but I thought it might be cool to try 52100/Cruforge.

 

[Don Hanson III]

Both etch black as coal. 1.5% chromium isn't enough to make the steel etch bright.

 

[Salem Straub]

Thank you Don! CruV and bandsaw it is.